


what if i fell and dragged you down with me and we were gay

by gaybarn



Category: Half Life
Genre: M/M, freehoun - Freeform, half life - Freeform, hl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:48:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28524969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaybarn/pseuds/gaybarn
Summary: Barney Calhoun tries to be smug. He fails. And falls. And brings a certain scientist crashing down with him. WhAt’Ll HaPpEn now?
Relationships: Barney Calhoun/Gordon Freeman
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42





	what if i fell and dragged you down with me and we were gay

**Author's Note:**

> uhh soo idea comes from the hl/hlvrai bottomless pit server! i just wrote this little blurb to life :)

It was like any normal day at work. Cliché, right? But it was. Too boring, almost. Calhoun adjusted his helmet, dark hair poking out slightly, as he leaned in the doorway of a certain scientist’s office. He brought his hand up to the doorframe and tapped his knuckles against the metal 3 times. Inside sat a young scientist at a desk. Said scientist- none other than Gordon Freeman- was buried in work, a pen in hand and glasses tilted on his stressed face. 

Barney, upon seeing Gordon and the rather overwhelmed look on his face, walked over to the older man. (Yes, unfortunately, Barney had to admit it: Gordon is older than him. Only by two years, though, as he states every time it’s mentioned.) The security guard leaned over slightly, gently placing a hand on the doctor’s shoulder. Freeman tensed, jumping a bit, before turning around to see who it was. He really didn’t need to look and see who it was: he knew, after all. Gorodn knows what his friends’ hand feels like. (Is that weird? Maybe a bit. But they’re just friends. Totally, completely just friends.) Barney brought his hands up in a defensive manner before bringing them back to his sides, next to his utility belt. 

“Howdy, doc. Wanted t’check in on ya, as ‘m on break for a bit. How ya holdin’ up? Word got ‘round that there’s a new project goin’ on with y’all science folk. I figured that meant more work, which means you’d be stressed as fuck.” Calhoun spoke, a rather sincere fondness in his voice. He turned around briefly to pull up a chair, sat down in it, and rolled it closer to the MIT graduate. 

[You were right about one thing. The work; there’s so much now. I’m not sure where you heard about this “project”, though, or what you mean by it.] Gordon signed, furrowing his brows. He knew what Barney meant, hell, it was what he was working on, but he wasn’t allowed to let word of it get out. Not that it already hasn’t, per se. 

“Yeah, sure, doc. I getcha. Y’need t’take a break, though, y’know? Can’t have ya dyin’ on my watch.” Barney paused, thinking. His eyes widened as a surprised, “gotcha” look grew on his face. “You look mighty fine for a man of science, y’know that?” 

Gordon’s face flushed red. Barney flirted often at him, whether joking or not, he didn’t know. He always assumed it was jokingly, though. Friendly. In response to the flirting, the Doctor simply buried his face in his hands as to hide the blush. (What, it’s not like he can let his friend know, who also happens to be his crush, that he blushes at stuff like that! It’d give his feelings away.) 

After clearing his throat and collecting his thoughts quickly, he faced the security guard once more and brought his hands up to sign. [What makes you say that, Barn?] “Barn,” a nickname Gordon came up with when he first met Barney. Sometimes, if his hands were full, per se, signing “Barney” could be hard. So, “Barn”, he would sign. Eventually, it became a nickname. A friendly nickname. Friendly. 

“Well, I mean, I see ya everyday, don’t I? An’ it’s true. You ain’t that bad lookin’, Gord’n.” 

[That’s what you say. Tell that to my ex. And the insecure thoughts.]

“Oh, I will, Doc,” Barney started, standing up. He leaned over to Gordon, about to make a risky move. A highly risky move, really. Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated, and ended up tripping on a fallen pen or pencil- something like that. His blue sleeved hand quickly grasped at something, effectively bringing it down with him. Calhoun groaned, opening his eyes to see none other than a certain doctor under him. When did he get atop him? How? “Gee, sorry there, Gord’n. Guess I tripped there, huh?” 

[Guess you did.] Gordon said in response, adjusting the tilted glasses on his nose. 

Barney took that moment to take in Gordon’s appearance. From his almost reddish-brown long hair, pulled into a ponytail, to the freckles littering his cheeks, and his beautiful, valley green eyes. Even with a disheveled appearance, Calhoun couldn’t help but admire him. Barney’s thoughts started to wander. ‘You’re so beautiful,’ he wanted to say. But he couldn’t, not yet, maybe not ever. What if Gordon didn’t feel the same? Gordon’s eyes widened below him, and said scientist quickly brought his hands back up to sign at extreme speeds.

[What did you just say?]

“What? Did I say sumn, Doc? Don’t think I did.”

[You said ‘You’re so beautiful’, Barney.]

“D- Wh- I- I did? Damn it, wow, ‘m sorry, Gor-“

[Don’t be.] 

“Huh-“

Barney didn’t have time to respond to that, as Gordon grabbed his tie and pulled the security guard down onto himself, putting their lips together, closing the distance. Calhoun couldn’t think, couldn’t react. Was this really happening? Since when did Gordon get so cocky?  
A few moments passed and the two separated, faces practically purple from the lack of oxygen. Barney stared down at Gordon, and vice versa. The southern man let out a deep chuckle, running a hand through his hair as he stood up slowly, reaching down a hand for Gordon to use to stand up. 

“Well, that was surely somethin’, ain’t it, Doc?”

[How long?]

“Huh, what?”

[How long have you felt like… this?]

“Well, uh, a long time now, yeah? ‘Bout since I first met ya.” Barney paused, registering what just happened. His brows furrowed as he looked from the ground up to Gordon. “Does this mean y’feel the same, Gord’n?” 

[Yes. Yes, it does, Barn.] 

“Well, shucks.” 

The two stood in silence for a little bit, both processing what just happened. It’s the late 1990s- what would happen if they were caught, or something? Barney finally had enough with the thoughts. Think later, gay now. 

[Well, what now?] 

Neither of them knew. Calhoun paused and smiled, placing his hands on Gordon’s shoulders, bringing the man closer to him. He leaned up, (yes, up) placing his lips onto the scientist’s. They stayed like that for a few moments, pausing here and then to breathe. The two only stopped kissing as Gordon’s hand brushed against Barney’s head- when did he take his helmet off?- to which the larger man let out a gentle hiss. 

“Aw, damn, must’a hit my head when I fell.” 

[Are you okay?]

“Yeah, s’jus’ a little scratch. I’ll be fine. S’why I got a helmet, y’know?”

Gordon stopped momentarily, thinking. His lips pursed as he brought one hand up under his chin; a thing he did when thinking, Barney noted. Freeman slouched down slightly, pressing a gentle, light kiss to the injured area. He then backed away, arms resting on either side of the other man’s face. 

[Better?]

“Yeah, that uh, that helped. Thank you, Doc.” 

[Of course, Barn.]

Barney let out a gentle, airy chuckle. While Gordon didn’t laugh, he smiled. A kind, sweet smile that made Calhoun feel warm all across his body. He stared at the taller man for a moment or two, before the walkie-talkie velcroed to his right shoulder blade spoke up. 

“Calhoun, we got a broken elevator panel down here. Come help, cowboy.” The “cowboy” in question sighed, running a hand through his hair. He brought a hand up to the small device, leaning into it. “Yeah, yeah. I copy. Be down in a sec.” Barney turned away from the walkie-talkie and instead faced Gordon once more, a fond look growing on his face. 

“Looks like break’s over, huh?” 

[Appears so.] Gordon said, faltering slightly. Barney did, too. They both didn’t want this to end, and didn’t have to say a single word to know the other was feeling the same.

“Well, hey. W- M-Maybe we can catch a movie later, yeah?” 

[I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.]

“This weekend it is, then. Be prepares, I gotta ton o’ Sci-Fi movies. Sci-Fi marathon, Doc. Love me some o’ those.” 

[I look forward to it, Barney.] 

The dark-haired security guard smiled in return to that, before remembering oh shit, work, and hurriedly collected himself. He sped walked towards the door, briefly turning to salute Gordon. (Who was, funnily enough, already back at his desk- only he was facing Barney, watching as the other left.) A small, faint “see ya then, Doc!” could be heard from the hallways of Black Mesa.


End file.
